


The Family Dog

by MercuryHomophony



Series: Behold the Field in Which I store my Headcannons (TAZ) [2]
Category: The Adventure Zone (Podcast)
Genre: Canonical Character Death, Post-The Suffering Game, spoilers for up to the Suffering Game
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-11-15
Updated: 2016-11-15
Packaged: 2018-08-31 05:45:50
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 947
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8566285
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/MercuryHomophony/pseuds/MercuryHomophony
Summary: Magnus is still reeling. Merle is the most balanced. Taako tries a new comforting trick.Pseudo-sequel to "The Moon Zoo"





	

It wasn’t the usual glorious return.

Sure, they’d been greeted with a hero’s welcome, the explosive applause and resounding cheering that came with the successful retrieval of the sixth Grand Relic… just one more to go. And sure, they’d smiled and waved, accepted congratulations and compliments and fist-bumps with their usual sort of backhanded sincerity. They deflated a little when they finally got to the throne-ish room where the Madame Director was waiting for them. She must have tuned in to their exhaustion, because she didn’t press or grill them for mission details, simply asked for the artifact and summoned Davenport.

They all watched, unblinking, as the light flashed, and the relic was destroyed, each torn up in their own thoughts.

The Animus Bell. A terrible, terrible power, a worse temptation…

And now gone.

\--

The Director didn’t need to tell them twice that they should rest, that they could give her the report later, and they were grateful to stumble back to their own quarters. Magnus barely made it through the door, collapsing onto the couch with a loud whump that threw dust everywhere. Merle was little better, managing to kick off some of his gear haphazardly before throwing himself down next to Magnus.

Taako was fidgety, though, and spent a few minutes puttering around, putting his things here and there, walking in and out of the kitchenette, as if he wanted to start something, anything, to keep himself occupied, but… couldn’t. Magnus didn’t know what was going on in the elf’s head, or the dwarf’s, but if it was anything like what was going through his, it was unpleasant. He felt distant from his surroundings, like he was floating in space, rather than sitting here on the couch.

The Animus Bell.

An item that grants life… that can create, if wielded without thought, and, if trained…

Could even snatch life back from the depths of the afterlife.

He didn’t know who Taako was thinking about, who Merle was thinking about…

But he could only see one face.

His Julia.

Dimly, he was aware of his weight, sinking into the fabric of the couch, but just the thought of her name took him so much further from where he was now. This was nothing like the deal with the Chalice – there was no bargaining, no give and take. They wouldn’t have to abandon the work they’d done so far, though he was sure the Bureau would disagree. They wouldn’t lose one another, or change history.

She would just be here, with him, now.

Merle was saying something, but he wasn’t, couldn’t, make it out.

Julia would have been here. His Jules, his Jewel… But she wasn’t. He couldn’t take it. It had been tempting – so, so awfully tempting, with its gentle soothing chime, so peaceful and lulling after weeks – _weeks_ – in Wonderland, whispering those sweet promises, almost motherly where the other items had been business-like, the Animus Bell only wanted what was best for them, could help them, could solve the biggest heartbreaks in their life-

Merle had made the decision, knocking it into a bag before either himself or Taako could fall victim to the thrall entirely. But they were all shaking on the way back, and even its destruction didn’t bring relief, just a heavy weight of numbness and regret.

He had the chance to save her again.

And he hadn’t.

Merle’s voice was more urgent, now, but Taako was mumbling something in response, so Magnus didn’t bother to answer – but then there was a third weight on the couch, and something _large_ and _furry_ was crawling across his lap. He opened his eyes (and when had he closed them? When had he decided to stare at her figure, burned forever on the back of his eyelids, how she’d looked that day, the last time they’d spoken?) glancing down in surprise at the enormous, shaggy greyhound, which stared back at him. It was stretched over the two adventurer’s laps, pinning them to the couch with its weight, hindlegs over Merle and forelegs folding over Magnus’s lap as it settled down, pressing him further into the couch cushions. It stared at him, unblinking, with familiar, tired eyes, older than his.

 _‘Don’t float off, my dude,’_ Taako’s voice echoed in his mind, rare sincerity mixed with the sadness and weight the elf must have been feeling himself. _‘You’re not alone.’_

Slowly, his hands came up to rest on Taako the Dog’s back, fingers grasping at the long soft fur. Beside him, Merle placed an arm on his shoulder, and he felt pulled back, felt his weight on the couch, Merle’s presence beside him, the heft of Taako on their laps, the soft fur under his touch, and he was here and Julia was _not_ but he had to – he had to be here. She wouldn’t have wanted him not to be.

He threw an arm around Merle, the other clutching Taako close, and folded in on himself, and let himself cry.

He hadn’t been able to save Julia, and she was gone. There was nothing he could do now to change that.

But he would be damned if anyone took his family away from him.

\--

“You know,” he said later, voice still thick with the crying he’d done, “you should be a dog more often.”

Taako, head resting on his paws on the arm of the couch, flicked his ears back. _‘Maybe. I’ll think about it,’_ he drawled, more himself again.

There was a moment of silence, before Merle asked, “Can you get off now? My legs are asleep.”

Taako just stretched, settling himself back down with a doggy version of a sigh. ‘ _Nope. Taako’s good here.’_

**Author's Note:**

> Magnus got to hug the dog.
> 
> EDIT: Hi Guys! I have a plea for you! I am in desperate need of funds. If you like what I write, and would like to help me out, please check out the post below for more details. Thank you!  
> http://mercurial-writ.tumblr.com/post/159047597334/help-a-writer-out  
> Thank you guys so much for reading and commenting and supporting this~!


End file.
